Paul Corkindale - Anesthetic technician

Anesthetic technician Paul Corkindale has been working in various Christchurch hospitals since 1971, but says none have provided him with the level of professional and personal satisfaction he’s enjoyed since joining Southern Cross in early 2005.

“It’s a great place to work. One of the big advantages here is that the surgery is elective rather than emergency, which means you know exactly where you are from day to day, week to week in terms of the hours you’ll work. I have a young family and being able to make commitments to them about my time is a big plus.”

The hospital’s nine full-time ATs and one part-time AT are able to collectively organise their rosters, providing them with as much control as possible over how they allocate their week between their professional and private lives, providing good work/life balance.

Having more control over his roster allows Paul to indulge his passion for his classic cars, which include a ’64 Mini Cooper, and a Fiat 131 Racing.

Also, since joining Southern Cross, he’s finally had the time and support to really advance his professional training. He’s completed a CPR course through The Order of St John (for which he manages a youth division), as well as courses on fire safety, intravenous drugs and the Treaty of Waitangi.

Within two weeks of joining Southern Cross, Paul had been through an extensive induction course introducing him to most of the hospital’s operations, working in the various wards and becoming familiar with their systems, such as discharge procedures.

“It was a great way to get insights into how the whole hospital operates.”

Other plusses for Paul include the quality of the hospital’s facilities.

“The equipment here is of the highest quality. Staff are really looked after, and that includes the free morning and afternoon teas, as well as subsidised lunches from the cafeteria. Southern Cross value their staff as people and are certainly an employer of choice."